Mike Tyson won’t face off against Jake Paul in the boxing ring until 8:00 pm tonight.
But the mismatched opponents offered an unexpected preview of the bout when they came to blows at their final weigh-in.
Yes, Iron Mike stunned the crowd when he slapped Jake in the face during what was supposed to be a routine press event.
Tensions between these two have been heating up for a while (or at least they’ve done a good job of pretending they hate each other in order to drum up publicity).
But even so, the move came as a total shock. The question now is …
Why Did Mike Tyson Slap Jake Paul?
The confrontation happened in a split second, and it left many fight fans wondering what set Tyson off.
According to a friend of Tyson’s, Paul quite literally stepped over the line when he stomped on the 58-year-old’s foot.
“Jake stepped on Mike’s foot. That prompted the reaction. I was there and Mike just told me,” retired boxer Tom Patti tells USA Today.
“My personal opinion (is) Jake shows enough disrespect that he starts crawling up to Mike and then pouncing in front of him … like some sort of lurching animal. Mike put him in his place.”
Patti added that the moment was an indication that Tyson is “finished with all the publicity. It’s time to fight.”
Jake Laughs It Off on Twitter
Tyson might be done with the publicity, but it seems that Paul is still loving the attention.
He immediately took to Twitter to boast about his viral moment.
“This is a pinch me moment. I got slapped by Mike Tyson,” Paul tweeted last night.
The fight was originally scheduled for July 20 but was rescheduled when Tyson experienced an “ulcer flare-up,” which limited his ability to train.
A Controversial Match
Paul is no stranger to controversy, but the media circus surrounding this fight has been intense even by the standards of someone who so aggressively courts publicity.
When the event was first announced back in March, the opponents seemed unusually chummy with one another.
This prompted speculation that the match was rigged, an allegation that Tyson and Paul have both pushed back against.
And if any warm feelings once existed between these two, they seem to have vanished.
These days, we’re seeing the animosity that we expect from two pugilists who are about to square off in a high-profile fight.
But every other aspect of this event is like nothing we’ve witnessed before.
The 31-year age difference between Tyson and Paul is the largest in the history of professional boxing. And Iron Mike retired from the sport back in 2005.
Will the boxing legend be able to hold his own against his much younger opponent? We’ll find out tonight when these two step into the ring at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
The event will stream live on Netflix.